Scrubbing device



Feb. 27, 1940. M. CARVALHO 2,191,642

S CRUBB ING DEVI CE Filed Dec. 16, l938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /7 v /7 J '7' 6I m 1:

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Man/us! Carve/Z704 Attorneys Feb. 27, 1940. M. CARVALHO 2,191,642

SCRUBBING DEVICE Filed Dec. 16, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 1 I I l I 1 1/4? In venior Manuel Carve/[k0 Attorneys Patented Feb. 27, 1940 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE SCRUBBING DEVICE Manuel Carvalho, Somerville, Mass.

I Application December 16, 1938, Serial No. 246,221

1 Claim.

and particularly for use while bathing or scrubbing one's body.

An object of the invention is to combine in a single device of thischaracter, a sponge and soap, the sponge serving to spread the soap sudsover the body to insure a thorough cleansing action on the part of thesoap, the soap serving to maintain the sponge in a thoroughly soapycondition during the use of the device.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be bestunderstood from a study of the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings wherein:

ll Figure l is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof with certain parts of thehandle removed.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the forked end of the handle.

an Figure 4 is an end elevational sponge with the handle removed.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5' ofFigure 6.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially 35 on the line 66 ofFigure 4.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the sponge showing the slit provided forthe insertion of a bar of soap into the well or pocket provided thereforin the sponge, and J 30 Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view throughthe forked end of the handle showing the use of a spring latchtherewith.

' Referring more in detail to the drawings it will be seen that inaccordance with the present in- 35 vention there is provided a sponge 5that is of block-like form and is provided with a soap chamber or well 6that opens at the top side of the sponge 5. Sponge 5 also is providedwith an opening 1 leading from the bottom of the well 4|) 6 to theopposite side of the sponge and through which the soap suds may escapeto cover the surface of the sponge.

The top side of the sponge body has cemented or otherwise securedthereto a sheet 8 of rubber which at its center is provided with a slit9 which may be expanded laterally for the insertion of the bar ill ofsoap into the well 6 of the sponge 5.

Cemented, vulcanized, or otherwise secured to the backing sheet 8 arenarrow pieces H of relatively hard rubber so arranged as to abut at onelongitudinal edge thereof when the sponge is in its contracted or normalcondition.

At the outer longitudinal edges thereof the pieces II are provided withintegral longitudiview of the I (Cl. -122) This invention is a devicefor use in scrubbing,

nally extending hooks I! which are elongated longitudinally of therubber pieces II.

For the device there is also provided a handle which embodies a shank I3of wire, said shank l3 at one end being equipped with a hand-grip 6 M.of wood or other suitable material and an eye l5 through the medium ofwhich latter the device may be suspended from a nail or other suitablesuspension element.

At the opposite end thereof the shank I3 is pro- 10 vided with anintegral fork IS.

The fork I6 is formed by bending the wire from which the shank is formedinto a substantial U, the legs ll of which are provided with reversebends I8 which at the closed end of the II U are directed towards oneanother and then relatively twisted for the remaining length of the wireto provide the shank l3.

Thus double-ply legs H for the fork are pro vided and at the closed endof the U the bight of the fork is also bent into a substantial U I! thatextends inwardly between the legs I1 and serves, as will be hereinaftermade manifest, as a tension device.

For bridging the free ends of the legs ll at the open end of the U, andfor urging said legs ll inwardly'toward one another there is provided alatch .bar 20 formed of spring metal. At one end thereof the latch bar20 is formed into an eye 2| that is engaged with the reverse bend I8 ofone of the legs l1. At the opposite end hereof the latch bar 20 isformed into a hook 22 that is adapted to spring into engagement with thereverse bend l8 of the other leg i1 as shown in Figure 8 for securingthe legs l'l under tension 5 and thereby maintain the legs in engagementwith the hooks 12 of the handle-fastener plates H.

To use the device the sponge 5 is separated from the handle anddistorted in an obvious man- 40 ner to enlarge the slit 9 to permit thebar 10 of soap to be placed in the well 6 after which the sponge 5 ispermitted to return to its normal shape.

The legs ll of the handle are then engaged, 43 in an obvious manner withthe hooks I! of the plates l I and the latch 20 then placed in bridgingrelation to the legs l1 and engaged therewith to urge the legs inwardlytowards one another to thereby retain the legs I1 engaged with the hooksH; the projection 19 being accommodated between the hooks l2 and havinga tendency to spread these hooks apart in opposition to the latch 20 andthe inherent tendency of the legs H to spread apart. Thus projection l9and latch I 20 cooperate for positively seeming the fork it of thehandle engaged with the soap-filled sponge 5.

Obviously the spongeis wetted in the usual manner resulting in theformation oisuds with which the sponge will become impregnated. With thesponge so soaped," the device may be used in an obvious manner forthoroughly scrubbing the body, while bathing, or the device, if desired,may also be used for securing pots, pans, dishes, and the like; it beingobvious that the device may be used with facility either as a bathroomor a kitchen accessory.

It is thought that a clear understanding oi the construction, utilityand advantages of an invention of this character will be had without amore detailed description.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

In a scrubbing device of the character described, a sponge oi block-likeform having a well therein opening at one side oi the block, a backingsheet of elastic material secured to the said side of said block andcovering the well, said sheet being provided with a slit through whichaccess is had to said well, strips of elastic material connected withthe outer face of the sheet, one on one side of the slit and the otheron the opposite side thereof with the adjaceent edges of said stripsbeing adjacent the walls of said slits and hooks formed on the outeredges of said strips and adapted to be engaged by a handle member.

MANUEL CARVALHO.

